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Chainsaw dog teeth

Started by Larry, November 20, 2003, 03:47:32 PM

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Larry

Do those big teeth serve any useful purpose?  I take them off as soon as I get a new saw but maybe I am missing something.

Sawing on steep slopes one handed is about the only benefit I can see (something I would rather not do).
Larry, making useful and beautiful things out of the most environmental friendly material on the planet.

We need to insure our customers understand the importance of our craft.

SawInIt CA

They serve a purpose when you are dropping a 6' cedar ;D

David_c

i took the one on the outside off. the one one inside which has the chain catcher on it i filed round works nice.

Tom

We call those teeth "bucking teeth".  They are handy when bucking a "big" log or for felling  You don't have to jam them into the wood.  They offer enough resistance to the saw rising in the cut to allow for a little more aggressive sawing with a lot less effort. :)

Minnesota_boy

Yeah, I really need them on my little Stihl 180.  :D  I can take off the most aggressive teeth, but they have another set cast into the front housing.
I eat a high-fiber diet.  Lots of sawdust!

IndyIan

I use mine all the time in hardwoods, sugar maple, white oak, etc. when I'm using the whole length of the bar(16") when bucking.  It just seems alot easier...  Otherwise I have to lean on the saw to make it work.

I was wondering if my sharpening technique needs work?  I set the rakers at .025 with a gauge and use the guide on the round file.  

Should I need to lean on a 372 with a 16" bar in hardwood to make it quit 4 stroking?  Or should it cut wood fast with just the weight of the saw?  I get decent size chips and it cuts fast with some pressure so it runs clean.

I run a 30 deg angle on 3/8 chisel chain.  
Thanks,
Ian

Minnesota_boy

Can you shave with the edge of the teeth?  If not, they need to be sharper.  :D

Seriously, the saw should almost feed itself if it is sharp enough.
I eat a high-fiber diet.  Lots of sawdust!

David_c

indy you should'nt be having any problm getting your 372 with a 16" chain i have a 20" on mine and it cuts like a hot knife through butter. your carb adjustments might be off.

slowzuki

I had wondered why everyone grinds them flat around here.  I haven't made up my mind on them yet.  I had used them before my chain sharpened improved because I used to force the saw.

I find now with the well sharpened chain they only help in really big stuff, and then if I force the saw it bogs.
Ken

SasquatchMan

I'll probably get in trouble for this post, but I like the big sharp teeth when I'm cutting things I'm not supposed to, like ripping stumps - I find I can use the saw to pin the piece of wood, and it offers a margin of safety in the whole operation, with the cutting teeth pulling the log onto the spikes.  

That said, I've never gone without, so I wouldn't know!
Senior Member?  That's funny.

chet

All my saws have um. I find they are a great energy and back saver. I can't think of a single reason why I would ever remove or render them useless.
I am a true TREE HUGGER, if I didnt I would fall out!  chet the RETIRED arborist

Corley5

I'd never take mine off either.  The cover on my old 2094 broke where the outside dog bolted on.  I went to the saw shop and got a new cover the same day.  I've ran saws with out them and don't like it.  I like to be able to sink them in to the wood.  Seems safer to me
Burnt Gunpowder is the Smell Of Freedom

fencerowphil (Phil L.)

Another "point", concerning the dog teeth or felling spikes:

When using a really big saw and a long bar to buck a really big tree,   it is much safer when cutting agressively.  I stand slightly left of the powerhead, letting the full weight of the saw work and use the spikes to lever, adding more cutting pressure.   With this stance, you can actually lightly hold the trigger handle with your right hand and lift on that handle.   Doing this with the spikes engaged in the bark, gives an added light downward push on the bar.  Another advantage is safety.  I just don't like the thought of a top-pinched bar pushing back straight at me.  Rather be to the side.

The saw is an old Stihl 075 with a 41" bar and weighs over 25lbs.  Since the weight is already considerable,  not much added pressure is needed. :(

It sure is good to just let that heavy sucker sit there and bury you in saw chips -gives me a chance to rest from carrying it to the tree ! ;)
Phil L.
Bi-VacAtional:  Piano tuner and sawyer.  (Use one to take a vacation from the other.) Have two Stihl 090s, one Stihl 075, Echo CS8000, Echo 346,  two Homely-ite 27AVs, Peterson 10" Swingblade Winch Production Frame, 36" and 54"Alaskan mills, and a sore back.

qatanlison

I keep the dogs on the saw I use for falling and bucking, but loose them on the limbing saw. On Husky there's a replacement rail for the inner dog for limbing, makes it easier to slide the saw along the trunk. But the dogs are almost essential to make square cuts with long bars when falling.
So if you do a lot of limbing, get rid of the dogs or get a limbing saw.

Ian,
Check out the top-plate angle, how much file is above the top-plate? I usually go for a 1/10 of the file diameter above which gives a good bite in the chain...

/Ola

IndyIan

Thanks for the help guys,
I'll have to check my top plate cutting angle and I'm pretty sure more than 1/10 of the file is above the tooth.  I use the round file guide so I'm not sure what I'll do if the file is to high.  I don't think I'm ready for free hand filing yet. :P  I guess it is safety chain with little ramps up to the rakers which probably doesn't help at all.  

I probably have the saw running abit rich too, since I mill with it I like to play it safe.  I posted a few months ago about my saw running lean and lean seizure is not something I want to know anything about :o

Ian

Minnesota_boy

Carlton makes a nice guide to filing called Carlton file-o-plate, available from http://www.madsens1.com/fileshrp.htm that works quite will to sharpen and maintain the proper depth guage.  Don't know how well it works on the guard chain, but at $5 you can't go too far wrong and with that you will be well on your way to freehand filing.
I eat a high-fiber diet.  Lots of sawdust!

Larry

Glad I asked the question because I learned a few things.

SawInIt CA,
Forgot about you West Coast guys.  I can very well understand using the teeth in a 6' tree.  We only dream about trees that big here.  Ever think about charging a logger to cut trees that big just for the thrill? ;D ;D  

I can see bucking teeth would make it easier to buck a log but I always thought if the saw wasn't cutting fast enough with its own weight it was time for the chain to meet the file.  Never thought of the safety aspect.

Seems like the consensus is that dogs are most useful with big bars, big saws, and big trees.

Those file-o-plate things are pretty cool.  If you don't like the standard .025 or .030 depth you can modify them with a square file so you get the exact depth you want. 8)
Larry, making useful and beautiful things out of the most environmental friendly material on the planet.

We need to insure our customers understand the importance of our craft.

Gus

IMHO,
Log dogs are indispesible for over bucking and felling large tree's. It's like having a hinge on your saw. 8)
"How do I know what I think unless I have seen what I say?"

redpowerd

my 029 and 032 have the same dogs, only ones on the cover and the other is on the saw, i notice there is holes drilled on the cover of my 29 for outside dogs, and holes on the 32 for inside dogs. anyone know where i can get these parts online?
NO FARMERS -- NO FOOD
northern adirondak yankee farmer

tony_marks

  i use my dogs a lot in dirty wood to help me cut so the cutters are exiting in the dirt ,,if possible.. course the backs out rite now so theres more to than that,, i guess.

oldsaw-addict

The first saw I ever used with dogs on it was like a MASSIVE step out of the cave and toward civilization. It feels a lot safer to me with the dogs on a saw, mainly because with them firmly gripping the wood you have more control over the saw, but thats assuming you have a well taken care of chain and saw. I have them on 2 of the 3 saw I presently own they are my PM610 with one outside/inside dog on it, I have only one on it but I can put it on the inside or outside of the saw, one on my Poulan 2375 Wildthing which I use for small brush trimming and light tree cutting work, none on my Jonsered 670 at the moment, planning a set of dogs for it soon though. They give the additional leverage and control that I like in any saw. BUT I CANNOT stress this one point enough, ALWAYS ALWAYS keep your chain sharp and the depth gauges properly filed! it just helps your saw work better and faster, plus you can work more safely with a sharp chain than a dull one. I alway take care of my saws, theres NO EXCUSE for  you not to take care of yours as well. Be safe enjoy cutting keep all your body parts in their original places, have fun.
Let there be saws for all mankind!

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